The legal team representing social media personality Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, has issued a second statement demanding his immediate release or formal arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The statement, released by Deji Adeyanju & Partners on May 6, 2025, followed a detailed interrogation of Otse by EFCC operatives on May 5.
According to the firm, the questioning was conducted in the presence of Marvin Omorogbe, Esq., a founding partner of the firm, and focused on several areas including Otse’s use of social media, his handling of Naira notes in a club, comments on a Nigerian gospel artist, tax records, and his income sources.
“Going by the Supreme Court authorities, while the EFCC is empowered to investigate financial crimes, the arrest and continued detention of Mr. Otse without formally stating any specific allegation or petition is deeply concerning,” the legal team stated.
The lawyers reiterated that Mr. Otse was detained four days prior, yet no concrete charges had been brought against him, nor had any formal petition been presented to justify his continued custody. They emphasized that this practice of “arrest first, investigate later” was unconstitutional and unlawful.
The statement also referenced the case of Steven Avuara (also known as C-Pack), who was arrested alongside Otse but later released on May 2, 2025, following legal intervention. The account given by Avuara was confirmed during Otse’s interrogation, the firm noted.
The lawyers cited the constitutional 24-hour detention limit and demanded that the EFCC either release their client or take him to court. “We urge the EFCC to either release Mr. Otse immediately or formally charge him in court, as his continued detention is now illegal,” the statement read.
They further acknowledged the growing public interest in the case, appealing to Nigerians to remain peaceful and lawful in any demonstrations. “We understand the public concern, but we urge citizens not to take the law into their hands while demanding justice,” they advised.
The controversy began on May 2, 2025, when EFCC officials presented an arrest warrant for Otse, allegedly issued by Her Worship, Njideka Iloanya-Duru, Chief Magistrate II of Wuse Zone 2, citing cyberstalking. Despite repeated inquiries from Otse’s legal representatives, the EFCC has yet to disclose the exact nature of the charges or provide a petition relating to his arrest.
The case continues to draw national attention as legal and human rights communities watch closely for the EFCC’s next move.
